When my local AI group go out on camping trips, we all pull our boats up above the water line overnight. I want to use my TI more and pulling it out will be a problem that can best be solved by having a buddy (or two) assist, or alternatively, I would need to take my giant Hobie TI dolly cart on the trip to facilitate this. The only way i could do that would be to lash the monster to the akas....

I guess I am spoiled, as I have never had to queue to launch, I have a beautiful sandy beach both sides of the 4 car ramp, and there are four separate hose-down taps.

I take my time packing up, giving everything a good once-over as well as hosing everything to remove the salt. My biggest delay is usually answering all the questions people ask. I watched a friend load his TI on the top of his Jeep, and he watched me.... and bought a trailer next week!

Disclaimer... having had a laminectomy, a double spinal fusion AND a hernia, I was never going to even try car-topping.

_________________Tony Stott2012 Tandem Island "SIC EM"

Last edited by tonystott on Sat Mar 23, 2013 11:14 am, edited 1 time in total.

VaBeach1:Here is my take on the AI vs TI. we wanted a family boat that we can just throw on the car and go anytime we like, basically anywhere there is water. I wanted to be fast enough so that it wasn't a total bore sailing, yet easy and fast to rig (if you ever watched anyone rig a Weta or a Windrider 17, thats not what I want). We like to snorkle and scuba dive down in the Florida keys mostly, and island hop excursions, nothing grueling like multi day, just up to maybe 30-40 miles max. We also like to do river excursions (not multi day usually).Right now we are down in the Keys near Islamarada (visiting my daugher who is on spring break from vet school). She likes to sail so I threw the TI onto the roof and brought it down from Sarasota,FL. We are staying at a place called Fiesta Key Resort and they have a boat launch, marina, and mooring balls for small boats.He is a pic of my TI moored for the duration of the stay.We take the boat out once or twice a day just sailing and once in a while anchoring to snorkle. The water here in Florida bay is pretty shallow and protected (not like open ocean), yesterday we sailed out into the bay with 3 adults and 2 children on board (yes the boat was sitting pretty low in the water), but we got to sail a little while, then found a nice spot to snorkel, dropped anchor and snorkled for about an hour. I have a regular boat ladder on the boat so it's pretty easy to board (even with heavy scuba gear). Most of the time when we have visitors (relatives from up north) we typically have at least two or 3 people on the boat, and take turns going out sailing. The rest of the time I go out solo (pretty much every weekend) and just have fun sailing and exploring. I'm not a big guy and don't find the TI anymore difficult to load onto the car than our Oasis was, actually I find it easier because it's longer and has better hand holds. Of course you only ever lift half the boat at a time, and I always load and unload the boat myself (every weekend). What I do is park near shore, unload the boat, put the seats and gear into the boat, I then roll the boat to shore with the scupper cart. I tip the boat on its side, put the sail in, take the wheels out, tip the boat up, put the AKA/AMA's on lash the tramps and off we go, it takes around 30 minutes, but I'm kind of a putzer, and my extra rigging (3 sails, motor, anchor system, etc) takes a little longer to get ready, but I don't like to go out without all that stuff (running with the spinnaker is the most fun for me, and I basically will not go out without my emergency gas motor).I'm pretty sure that there is no other boat on the market today that you can do all this with and still car top and throw into your garage. If I had to guess we have driven over 100k miles with boats on the roof, and over 2500 sailing miles on the TI's so far. We have had no major issues except one scupper hole tear 2 boats ago where Hobie replaced the hull (they shipped the new hull the same day I tore it (in front of the dealer, while he was watching). There is no other company out there like Hobiecat as far as service and support goes as everyone on the forum will agree.Here is my TI on the roof of our 3rd tow vehicle (we wore out the other two), I use a T bar hitch mount and a pool noodle which works out really well for us.. I hope this sets your mind at ease that the TI is usable as a family boat. We used to have a Sea Ray powerboat, a Sunfish, and several kayaks. At this point we have sold everything else and just use the TI now as our SUV for doing anything water related.Hope this helps you decideBob

Tony, I'm very interested in your captain's chair. What is it mounted on? How are you attaching it and its mount to the boat?

Keith

Keith, being a fat bast*rd when I got my TI (lost 50 pounds already so far!) and 6'3", I felt I needed more space. I thought of suspending a skipper seat like many do, but decided simplicity was the key. My seat sits on a swivel, bolted to a 1/2" marine ply plate which spans the hull, supported by a plywood truss to spread the load to the regular seating area of the hull. It just sits there, tied with three loops of line to the rear cross-bar, so I can simply lift it up at the front. I store a 2 litre water bottle and large knife under there. I had glued foam pads where the mount contacts the hull, and did not need any modifications to the hull at all. The photos should make it clearer.I must confess however that I feel a little vulnerable when out in open rough water, as it would be relatively easy to fall out of the seat! As I lose more weight, I will probably revert to the lower mount used by others

Reading this thread, I do see the advantage of a scupper cart for hauling an AI out of the water -- something not really workable for a TI. I assume that gets one across the beach to above the high tide line without lifting anything.

So for me that would make a big difference between an AI and a TI. Though not enough of a difference to give up having a 2 person boat. Sailing on a tramp or haka with 45 degree water would not appeal to my one and only. She wants a good solid comfortable seat IN the boat without the perception of almost falling off, falling in, or rolling over.

So I'm guessing that my camping (which would be solo) will be anchored out, moored out, or tied to a dock.

Tony, WOW, Even a hose with fresh water. I'm using your launch next time! Can you camp in that grassy looking park next to the beach?

Funny you should mention that, but Forster Beach Holiday Park is precisely adjacent to the ramp, and even has double gates for ease of access! If you have a close look at the new photo I added above, you can see caravans lined up along the fence overlooking the boat harbourhttp://www.forsterbeachcaravan.com.au/

Puget, I have never had a scupper cart for my/my wife's AI. Never have, never will. Up/down beaches is a drag--down is definitely easier. Of course, when camping, you empty 75-80% out of/off of the boat before moving it. Fully loaded, you can move it short distances on a beach, say enough to get it out of the surf. Then, pull the heavy stuff off your boat, and you can move it more. To really move it above the hi tide line (for me), requires getting most of the stuff out of the boat. I have a strong, 50-yr old friend, who can simply pick my AI up by the front toggle and pretty much pull it all the way up the beach. I can't.

As I've said before, the tandem just begs people to bring too much stuff--why? Because they can--at least once. That is the wrong attitude for camping. Camping should be simplicity. Camping is to bring enough stuff to be comfortable but not so much that it becomes a chore. Simple is light. Simple is easy packing. Simple is being able to find things. We all have some things we like to indulge in, but basically camping operates best on the KISS principle. It seems to take a "lifetime" to understand the principle. I'm still working on it.

I agree with the "keep it simple" idea. I gave up stoves and cooking many years ago, along with tents. I use either a bivy sack or tarp. Though the the bugs in Florida could make me rethink that. But at this point in life, dragging a 60 lb kayak that is almost empty is more than I can do. So I'm guessing that dragging an empty AI is also out of the question. But I think I recall seeing a lot of pics on the forum with a pair of wheels stowed on the aft deck.

Anyway, I'm glad to hear how others are doing it. Reading about your camping trips is making me anxious to start packing.

That is good, Puget, although a bivey sack in FL has problems w/ humidity. And, because of that same humidity, you would have to have a tarp or everything would be soaked in the morning.

I was over at the start of the WaterTribe Everglades Challenge. I think the only wheels I saw in the back of an AI was a small set (they would have fit under the very end of the stern) which Chief carried. Chief was new to the AI. I'm curious how they worked for him--if they worked at all. The C-tug cart, which has been mentioned on the forum, looks like it might have some potential for use by campers.

During my recent 7-day (aborted to 6), solo camp trip along coastal Everglades, it was a shock to me how difficult I found dragging my AI up the beach every day. Tides were such that I was always arriving at my new campsite near low tide. Since I got back home, I have been VERY conscientious about getting to the gym and trying to get my strength up. I think if I did that trip today, I would be much better at moving my boat.

I have made my decision to purchase a 2013 TI! Called the dealer, agreed on costing + accessories...

Then, he asked a simple question= What color would you like

I am completely blank as I dont really have any preference. Any advice out there?- I read that the papaya may fade after a while, the dune may appear to get stained, etc, etc.... I am leaning towards the Dune, however my current Outback is Red (WOuld be nice to have a matching Fleet).